THE ORIGIN OF GARDEN PLANTS AND THE FSU CONTRIBUTION

The Tropical Asian Center

Tropical Asia, as a center of ornamental plants, covers some
parts of the Palaeotropis, including the Indian and Indochinese
Floristic Regions as well as a portion of the Sudan-Zambezian Region
in Hindustan. Vavilov considered the Indo-Malayan centre as the
second most important source of economical plants. Some 450 ornamental
species, i.e. about 8 %, have been obtained from this range. In the
Temperate zone, they are mostly cultivated in greenhouses, indoors and
in winter gardens. In particular palms, orchids and begonias (e.g.
Begonia rex), the well known India rubber tree (Ficus
elastica), banana (Musa), mango (Mangifera indica),
velvet plant or purple passion (Gynura aurantiaca),
Aglaonema and many other plants came from India and Indo-Malaya.
Of the same origin are Alocasia, Colocasia, Codiaeum and
Medinilla magnifica. Herbaceous perennials, such as the
cockscomb (Celosia argentea), and the globe amaranth (Gomphrena
globosa) are often cultivated as annuals in the open. Garden balsam
(Impatiens balsamina) occurring in nature in India is very popular
in the United States.